


Saving Grace

by thelast_thingido



Category: Terminator (Movies), Terminator - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, One Shot, set in present time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 02:44:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21402883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelast_thingido/pseuds/thelast_thingido
Summary: || Grace finds a moment alone with Dani, and it brings up missed chances from the past, making it hard for the soldier to tell apart the woman she sees now from the woman she loved in the future. || one shot ||
Relationships: Grace & Dani Ramos, Grace/Dani Ramos
Comments: 29
Kudos: 295





	Saving Grace

**Author's Note:**

> "So many years of trying to hide her feelings from Dani that there was a purity in the moment, for her to see through Grace so quickly when everything that had happened hadn't happened yet."

If Dani had noticed that Grace never lost sight of her, regardless of the room or level of danger, she didn’t make any mention of it. Even when they were at Carl’s cabin, and everyone was winding down after a few beers and target practice, everyone except Sarah of course. If Dani noticed that Grace was lingering in the bedroom she ducked off to so that she could grab a shower, she never said one way or another. Even still, when Grace was still there watching out the window, as if she didn’t know any other way but to watch for danger, Dani just eyed her and got dressed as she dried her hair with a borrowed towel.

“You’re making me nervous; can you sit down?” Dani asked playfully, and when Grace looked over to her from the window the younger woman gestured towards the bed. The soldier was silent for a moment, taken out of her memories and registering the words said to her. Another glance outside, and then Grace was making her way to sit on the edge of the bed. Dani put up the towel but didn't sit down with her. As distant as her thoughts were at the window, they still centered around the soon-to-be commander, so without trees and faraway sounds to cling to, her eyes kept skirting towards Dani. Which seemed to be mutual as they watched each other in a comfortable silence. Grace knew there was a question that wanted to be asked between them and could only stone herself for whatever that may be.

"Did it hurt?" Dani finally asked, which caused a confused look to fall over the other woman’s face. She moved closer to Grace, lifting fingers so that they ghosted over the white scar that ran down the soldier’s arm. She didn’t flinch or shift away from the contact that Dani made, and if the younger woman noticed how Grace only seemed to feel comfortable around her, she didn’t mention it. 

"Yes." Grace replied quietly, with honest eyes searching the other woman’s face. There was more she wanted to say, ‘_but it was worth it_’, to make Dani understand, ‘_it was for you_’, even if it wouldn’t make any difference to anyone but Grace, ‘_leaving you hurt more_’.

Dani started to trace the scars moving up Grace’s arm, not as timid as the time traveler expected, which took her aback. She traced from her forearm to her shoulder, traced them as if she already knew their path, and a trail of heat ran through the Soldier at the feeling of her touch. Grace couldn’t look away from deep brown eyes looking down on her, as she fought against the pain and memories that bubbled up to the surface when Dani was this close.

When Grace was getting ready to travel back to this time, Dani held her tight enough to feel each other’s heartbeat, a tight hug that landed around the younger woman’s waist because of the height difference. They whispered their goodbye’s as the strong soldier and the even stronger commander broke down in the isolation of the room, and they reviled in the fact that there was one other person out there that they could show weakness to.

Grace pulled back with bright blue eyes shining, which crumbled the last resolve Dani had. 

“_My saving grace_.” She practically sobbed, making the commander wipe her own away tears and pull Grace’s head down so that the shorter woman could reach her better. Giving a soft and lingering kiss on her temple.

It was a nickname that the commander only said when it was the two of them, but she was given the title early on, when she was young and Dani was trying to drill her on the right way to load ammo. Grace always assumed it was ironic that such a clumsy teen could save someone as capable as Dani, but she couldn't take much offense to it when the commander would reserve it for something just between them. It was hard to have anything private when you were in bunkers and caves, trying to stay alive.

“_I’ve taken out three machines just last week. It’ll be easy-peasy and I’ll be back for more before you know it._”

They both knew Grace wasn’t coming back. It was unspoken, but looks between them always spoke a thousand words, so they both knew. 

Lips that were on the soldier’s temple were replaced by fingers, tracing her down her jaw and then weaving into her hair. They stayed close, sharing bated breaths with a look of pain shifting into something else.

The shift wasn’t new, and for Grace it felt like it had been there since the first moment she met the Commander. It always ended the same though, Dani searching her face and waiting for a courage that Grace could never find. 

When Dani’s fingers traced gently over her collarbone, it brought the soldier back into the moment, breathing in a shaky breath and looking up at the woman she was meant to save. Brown eyes stayed on the trail her hand was taking, with a furrowed brow as if she was trying to remember something that hadn’t happened yet. Then when Dani’s sight finally met Grace’s, that same look was there. The waiting, the bated breath, and just when it felt like Grace was going crazy—like she was right back in the hole they called a home in the future—Dani smirked and twisted her fingers into the thin material of her tank top, hooking them and pulling at the shirt playfully.

“You look like you want to kiss me.”

The words were like a punch in the gut, a low distinctive blow. Grace blinked a few times before responding, reeling a bit at the unexpected words.

“What?”

“You have super hearing, so I know you heard that.” Dani was smiling now, flirty and playful, and in a way Grace had maybe only seen versions of, but never like this.

“I shouldn't.” She croaked out, then clearing her throat and trying to stone her features. Dani sat on the bed in front of the other woman, which made Grace shift back instinctively, but the younger woman didn’t let go of her light hold on the shirt.

"Kiss me? Some soldier’s honor, lo que sea?"

Grace thought she might pull away the other woman’s hand, grabbing onto her wrist and break free from the moment. Though, as soon as her hand touched Dani’s the intent softened, and her grip held the hand closer to her chest. Fingers laced together and the feeling of the other woman’s warmth between her breasts made her heartbeat so loud Grace could hear it ringing in her ears.

"I shouldn't want to." It was said as more of a sigh, a truth she couldn't put strength behind. So many years of trying to hide her feelings from Dani that there was a purity in the moment, for her to see through Grace so quickly when everything that had happened hadn't happened yet. 

“I want you to.” She whispered, and it was the one thing Dani had never said to her, the one thing Grace thought she needed to hear to give her strength. 

She surged forward and captured the younger woman’s lips with her own, a sharp and quick move but the kiss itself was soft and timid. As if unwilling to accept that it was real, Grace held back her passion for long as she could. Which turned out wasn’t more than a moment before Dani tilted her head and deepened the kiss, parting lips to invite the other woman to let go of inhibition. It was all Grace could stand as she moved her tongue and gained entrance into a willing mouth. Kissing Dani felt surreal and yet painfully tangible, like being shot into the sky until she saw stars. Something Grace always knew she needed but never knew why; she was meant for this. 

They broke away to breathe, but never pulled back, the soldier feeling hands on her neck and fingers in her hair. Her augmentations were firing at all cylinders, senses exploding then imploding, while she shifted towards the younger woman, moving so that she was lying on the bed with Dani under her. There was a heat burning at Grace that was spreading and caused her to pull at clothing, but not her own, whipping Dani’s shirt up and over her head before they started kissing again.

Grace moved her hands over dark skin and soft muscles, claiming her stake. The primal thought of _mine _etched its way in her head, which made her realize that it wasn’t. Not really. 

This wasn’t _her_ Dani. Grace was a stranger to her, so the good reasons that this was happening seemed painfully one-sided. Dani was scared and grieving, which made her judgement impaired, which meant the Soldier needed to focus on her mission without distraction. Instead she seemed to be indulging in a fantasy that’s long since lost its possibility to become reality.

“_Dios…_” Dani moaned in her ear, which melted any resolve the other woman might have had, moving her hands down to work on the clasp of Dani’s jeans.

A soft whimper as her hand when into the younger woman’s jeans, had Grace biting her lip as she leaned closer to Dani’s ear.

“You have to be quiet.”

She felt the distracted nod in agreement, as hands moved to pull up the older woman’s tank top, trying to feel as much skin as possible. All Grace could focus on though was the wet heat she found her fingers in, lips still against Dani’s ear, she smiled.

“No matter how good it feels,” She moved a long finger inside her, feeling the other woman’s body tense and shudder, “Or how easy it is to slide inside you,” Dani’s hand found a fist full of blonde hair, pulling hard, knowing the soldier could take it. Grace’s unoccupied hand moved under the confines of Dani’s bra, eyes rolling back when she felt a hard nipple against her palm. She coaxed it gently with her thumb before pulling just hard enough to get a reaction.

“_Fuck,_” Dani hissed in her ear, which caused Grace to slide another finger inside. She could take it.

She dreamed about this for so many years, lurid daydreams while they were training, or drinking after a long fight. Finding herself on a soft bed with Dani and taking each other’s bodies for all they were worth, staying quiet so the other soldiers wouldn’t hear. 

And when the commander would fall apart against her hand, it looked just like it did now. Dani’s hips meeting each thrust, harder and faster, because it was fucking and it was love. It was everything all at once, too much and not enough, her thumb slipping over a stiffened clit that made the woman under her tense and dig nails into the hips she grabbed to anchor her.

When tensed muscles settled into a beautiful afterglow, Grace pulled her hand up from between Dani’s legs, her fingers were slick and the thick feeling of sex lingered between them as Grace didn’t hesitate to put her fingers in her own mouth, tasting Dani and instantly having her senses overloaded. Her eyes rolled back, and it took everything for her not to show a feral side she didn’t even know existed. She wanted to keep Dani on this bed forever, devouring her slowly and for the rest of her life. The soldier’s thoughts were scattered when the younger woman pulled her towards her in a crushing kiss, her tongue moving in to taste herself, and this time it was Grace who was making noise, whimpering into her mouth.

“I bet you taste better.” The younger woman husked as they pulled away to breathe. Blue eyes were piercing and dark but burned all the same as leaned in to pull at the other woman’s bottom lip with her teeth. It was getting harder for the soldier to separate her world and this one as they kissed again. All the missed opportunities and the strength Grace could never find was all here in front of her, and it gave her a courage she never had before. She pulled back enough to look into warm brown eyes.

“I love you.” Grace whispered to the woman that Dani hadn’t become yet, and the reality of that came crashing down on her fast as she watched brown eyes grow distant under a furrowed brow. The soldier realized what she had done, what she just said as a whispered confession. Dani shifted under her weight, causing Grace to sit up and try to back track.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.” Instinctively she made it worse and cringed at her own idiocy. “I mean, I just—...I shouldn’t have said that.” Dani shook her head dismissively, giving a supportive smile, but there was still confusion and a little hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly three loud knocks came from the door, jolting Grace into a fighting position, trying to readjust her cloths at the same time, while Dani did the same.

“If you two are done in there, we’re loading up the van!” Sarah’s annoyed voice came booming across the wall separating them. Grace cursed under her breath as her cheeks tinted red, once again leaning toward a hatred for the woman they aligned themselves with.

“Her timing has been better.” Dani said as a sigh, while becoming presentable enough to leave the room.

Grace looked over at her, and it was still obvious, flushed face and untamed locks of hair. She was so beautiful that the soldier couldn’t help but stride over to take Dani’s face in her hands and give her a soft and chaste kiss on the lips.

“When this is all over—”

“Then the world ends.” She finished for Grace, a sad but resolved look on her face. They both knew she was right and that winning this fight didn’t really mean they won anything. It was unspoken, but looks between them always spoke a thousand words, so they both knew.


End file.
